A device according to the species is disclosed in DE 102 12 188 A1. It comprises an emergency opening drive for pivoting a passenger door, which is mounted on a support arm, which is mounted so it is pivotable in an axis on the fuselage-side frame. In case of emergency, the emergency opening drive is switched on, which causes the passenger door to pivot open into the opening position. The emergency opening drive may operate according to a pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, or mechanical action principle. In the context of a pneumatic action principle, an emergency opening cylinder belonging to the emergency opening drive is connected to a gas cartridge. Upon release of the gas by an emergency control unit, it is conducted into the emergency opening cylinder, so that the piston therein moves a pushrod, which is fastened at its end on the support arm to execute the desired pivoting movement to open the passenger door. The gas cartridge represents a pneumatic pressure accumulator, which provides the drive power for the emergency opening cylinder, implemented as a linear drive.
The high maintenance effort connected thereto has proven to be disadvantageous for this technical solution. This is because gas cartridges are to be checked frequently and replaced in the event of pressure loss. For reasons of safety, fixed monitoring intervals are prescribed. If the emergency opening drive is based on an electrical action principle, reliable provision of a sufficient level of electrical power is always to be ensured in case of emergency. Because the system must thus operate independently of the onboard electrical network, an electrical power accumulator is typically necessary, which increases the device outlay.
Another device is disclosed in EP 1 418 121 A1, in which a type of singly-acting pneumatic cylinder of a typical construction is used for the emergency opening, whose floor-side pressure chamber is coupled directly to a pyrotechnic propellant charge. In practice, the use of this solution may result in uncontrolled violent pivoting open of the passenger door.